JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —An officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been terminated following an incident in which she unintentionally discharged a driver’s firearm, injuring him during a traffic stop, CBS News reported.
According to an internal affairs report, Officer Shaun Lowry initiated the stop after the man was observed running a red light. The driver, described as cooperative, informed Lowry he was legally carrying a firearm, according to the report.
As the driver complied with instructions to exit the vehicle, Officer Mindy Cardwell, who was assisting the traffic stop, attempted to remove the weapon — a Glock .45 semi-automatic pistol — from his waistband holster, body camera video shows. The internal investigation revealed that Cardwell, using her non-dominant hand, unintentionally placed pressure on the firearm’s trigger, causing it to discharge into the man’s right leg.
The driver told investigators that Cardwell appeared to “jerk” the weapon repeatedly, which contributed to the unintentional discharge, according to the report. Cardwell later stated that the holster was tight and difficult to remove.
Body camera footage released by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office shows the moments following the discharge. Officers Lowry and Austin Weippert expressed shock, radioed for assistance and applied first aid, including a tourniquet to the driver’s leg.
Cardwell also assisted with first aid efforts. The man was transported to a hospital in stable condition but later reported that the injury had impacted his ability to operate heavy equipment for his job, according to the report.
The incident prompted an internal affairs investigation, leading to a charge of incompetence against Cardwell and her subsequent dismissal.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has since implemented a new policy prohibiting officers from seizing firearms from individuals who are lawfully carrying them during traffic stops, according to the report.
